The Best Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe You’ll Ever Make

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 4 to 5 pounds), any paper inside removed

1 white or yellow onion, quartered

2 carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut in half

2 celery stalks (with leaves if possible), cut in half

4-5 garlic cloves, smashed open or cut in half

1 large McCormick bay leaf

3-5 sprigs fresh thyme

5 stems fresh parsley (about 1 small handful)

2 teaspoons Morton sea salt

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon Bragg’s apple cider vinegar

Optional, 2 slices of lemon

enough purified water to fill the pot

Instructions

You’ll need a 6 to 8-quart pot with a tight fitting lid-I use a 6-quart pot for a 4 or 5-pound chicken. Be sure to check the inside of the chicken and remove the paper pouch that contains the organs. Discard the paper and add the organs to the pot. If you’re new to stock this might sound strange, but do it! There is a lot of good nutrition in there. You can also use this method with an already cooked chicken and just use the bones and whatever is left. Add all ingredients to the pot and cover with purified water to about an inch below the top of the pot. Put a tight-fitting lid on the pot, then set it on the stove and bring to a boil (this takes about 10-20 minutes) then reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 4 and up to 24 hours. If you use a whole chicken, be sure to remove the meat from the chicken about 2 hours in to prevent over cooking it then put the bones back in the pot. To remove the meat, about 2 hours in carefully remove the whole chicken from the pot and set it on a large cutting board. It will be very hot, let it cool a bit so you can handle it. Use two forks or a knife to remove as much meat as possible. The meat will be nicely poached and you can shred it or just cut it up. Put the meat in an airtight glass container, then let it come to room temperature before you store it in the refrigerator, where you can store it for up to three days. Or, use it immediately. Discard the skin, then put all of the bones and the whole body back into the pot and let it simmer for at least another two hours. The longer your stock simmers the more nutritious your stock will be. Keep the pot covered to prevent your stock from evaporating, if you notice the liquid reducing too much you can add a few cups more of water at any time during the process. After simmering at least 4 hours, strain your stock through a fine mesh colander or cheesecloth into a large bowl or pot. Discard everything that was in the pot except the liquid you just strained, its all served a very useful purpose and by now, the veggies have been boiled to the point that they will fall apart. Use your stock right away to make Homemade Chicken Soup. To store, let it come to room temperature and store in quart containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or the freezer up to 6 months. If freezing, freeze in portions that will be useful to use in recipes, like 2 cup or 4 cup (quart) containers.

From: https://recipepatch.com/best-homemade-chicken-stock-recipe-youll-ever-make/